Multiple candidates still in the mix in Bengals' right guard battle

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CINCINNATI (AP) — Bengals coach Zac Taylor doesn't have a timeline when it comes to naming a starting right guard for Week 1. The position battle between Lucas Patrick, Cody Ford and Jalen Rivers continues as training camp reaches its end.

Even if Taylor had mapped out a plan for the competition, injuries would have prevented that plan from taking shape.

“We’ve had guys battling through injuries almost the entire time,” Taylor said. “I don’t think any schedule we would have had on would have been able to stand up because guys have been fighting through different stuff.”

Taylor announced Wednesday that Cordell Volson will have season-ending shoulder surgery. Volson had been the second-team right guard before he got hurt. He was a starter from 2022 through 2024, but he was slated to fill a bench role before he was injured.

“All he has ever done is come to work and try to be the best Cincinnati Bengal he can be,” Taylor said. “Not always agreeing with what we are doing in terms of him not being a starter anymore, but just handled it in such a professional way and been a team player through and through. That’s what he has been his entire life.”

Patrick and Ford are day to day with undisclosed injuries. As a result, Rivers has been receiving the first-team reps at right guard ahead of Cincinnati's final preseason game on Saturday against Indianapolis.

The Bengals selected Rivers in the fifth round of April's NFL draft to be the team’s swing tackle. But when Rivers struggled at that spot early in training camp and multiple guards suffered injuries, Rivers learned he would be playing guard going forward.

“They drafted me to be a versatile lineman for them,” Rivers said. “I’m showing that I can do that. Showing that I can play right guard and that they can trust me means a lot. I’ll keep working at it.”

While Patrick has missed time with two different injuries during training camp, he has received the most first-team reps at right guard. The eight-year veteran has played in 112 NFL games. Patrick has been a backup for most of his career, but the Bengals are hopeful that he can raise the floor of the team’s offensive guard group.

Patrick assessed his performance in training camp as up-and-down, but he feels himself getting more comfortable in a new scheme.

“I’ve tried to put my best foot forward and play as good as I can, but I’m still adjusting to the nuances and really getting those down,” Patrick said. “I’ve got some work to do. There’s always work to do.”

Ford had been spending most of his time at tackle over the last two weeks, but he’s better at guard and has started games for the Bengals at that position in the past. Taylor said Ford is still in the mix in the right guard battle.

When asked about the potential of adding another offensive lineman before the start of the season, Taylor didn’t shoot down the possibility.

“We’re still working through it,” Taylor said. “We’ve got guys who are competing for a lot of the jobs there and I’m excited to see how that shakes out over the next couple of weeks.”

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